Lost in Shadow
by Loolaa
Summary: The turtles find something more than a little odd is happening in the sewers. COMPLETE! At last! And thanks to everyone for your kind reviews! hugs ya
1. Lost In Shadow Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Michelangelo hummed softly to himself as he made his way back home through the sewers. He was returning with take out pizza for him and his brothers, his mouth watered hungrily as he shifted the weight of the warm cartons. The delicious smell tempted him to eat the contents there and then, but he restrained himself. He was a ninja with a will of steel.

Of course, one slice wouldn't hurt…

Mike paused as he came to a fork in the path, the restaurant he'd been to was new and the underground route he'd taken was unfamiliar. The sewers felt even colder than usual.

"If we had a real house we could've just ordered it out like normal people," he grumbled to himself as he got his bearings again.

Mike was slightly annoyed that none of his brothers had come along with him. Leo had been too busy practicing a new kata and refused to take a break from it. Don was working on some project. It was always "some project" with Don. Mike shrugged to himself, as long as it was useful, like a flying skateboard or a robot that did chores. Raph was nowhere to be found, though he was most likely out with Casey. Mike thought about eating Raph's share of the food and then making the excuse that he didn't think Raph would be back in time to eat it.

As Mikey sloshed through the sewer water he began to get a strange sensation of being watched. He stopped and looked about him, his ninja instincts kicking in.

"Stupid..." he thought to himself, remembering Splinter's recently repeated lecture about always being alert.

There was a sudden movement in the corner of his eye, Mike spun around.

"Show yourself!"

Whatever it was, it didn't co-operate. Mike balanced the pizza on a couple of pipes and from under his coat he drew out a nunchuck. There was the sound of an intake of breath, then a slim figure suddenly darted out of the shadows and ran back the way Mike had come.

"Hey!" Michelangelo immediately sprinted after it, eventually losing it to the maze of tunnels. Frowning to himself, he returned to the pizzas and made his way back home.

"What kept you?" Donatello stood in the middle of the room, bandana in hand, looking like he was about to gear up. Leonardo stood beside him, he turned at Don's words and frowned across at Mike before unhitching his katana with a heavy sigh.

"Where have you been? We were just about to go looking for you."

Mike put the, now cold, pizzas on the table, feeling irritated.

"There was someone down here. I spent the last forty five minutes chasing them around the sewers."

Raphael smirked, and poked Mike in the plastron. "Ha. You're getting soft."

Mike pushed Raph's hand away but not forcefully enough to ignite his temper.

"Why couldn't you catch them?" Leo demanded. "Who was it?"

"I don't know, I couldn't see them. It's dark down here, y'know."

The others glanced at each other. Mike seemed to be in an uncharacteristically sombre mood. Don tried to cheer him up, and slapped Mike on his shell.

"Thanks for getting the food, bro!"

Mike moved away to sit on the sofa.

The other three sat at the table and ate. They couldn't help but notice how quiet Mike was.

Mike's brow furrowed at the TV as he thought about the chase earlier. He couldn't understand why he hadn't been able to catch the creature. Whenever he'd gotten close, it suddenly flew from his grasp. He'd often lost sight of it, only really knowing it was there because he could feel its presence. Why had it been so difficult?

He knew it wasn't the darkness. He was used to the sewers and he and his brothers had been trained so that the darkness wasn't an obstacle to them.

A few weeks later Mike and Don were out scavenging. Don had heard about an IT company that had moved premises and so he'd convinced Mikey to come along. Donnie hoped there would be some old unwanted hardware left in the building or in the trash, and he needed Mike to help him carry it. Actually, when it came to helpful brothers Leo had been Don's first choice, but Leo had gone out on a run and Don was too impatient to wait for him to return, so instead he was accompanied by Mikey who insisted on repeating the plot and lines from a movie they'd watched (well Don had half watched it - he had better things to do with his time) the previous night.

"Did you see the robot explode?" Mikey exclaimed. Before Don could answer Mike supplied him with a sound effect of a robot blowing up.

"I missed that part," Don muttered. "Shh. Grab that box over there."

Mike retrieved the empty cardboard box as Don rifled through a bin full of discarded circuit boards.

"But it was the best bit!" Mike protested. "Well, apart form the dragon. That was cool." Mike then impersonated a dragon breathing fire. "There's nothing like a robot and a dragon fighting to the death."

"Uh huh." Don answered absently. "I got an idea. You stand watch, look out for the security guard."

"Sure." Mike hung out of the door and left Don to sort through his electronic junk in peace, for a while at least.

Donatello was happy with his haul. He'd found a lot of useful stuff, enough for many more projects to come, he gazed happily into his precious box of wires and circuits as they waded back home through the sewers.

Although his computer based imagination distracted him, Don began to notice that Mike seemed a little uneasy. He hadn't spoken in a long while, which wasn't like Mikey.

"You okay...?"

Mike nodded, but he was frowning.

"So, that dragon in the movie," Don said, trying to draw his brother into conversation. "Why was it fighting the robot again?"

"Can you smell flowers?" Mike asked abruptly.

"Are you kidding? All I can smell is sewer." Don wrinkled his nose. The part of the sewer they were in smelt particularly bad, which was unusual since he was used to the smell of the sewers. However, this was a part of the sewer they rarely travelled through. "Why? Can you smell flowers?" Don was incredulous.

Mike looked around vaguely as they sloshed through the water. He began to get the odd feeling of being watched again and spun around, glaring into the shadows. Don turned, alert, following Mike's gaze, and he thought he saw a figure move.

"Who's there?" Don said, sharply.

No one answered.

Don stepped forward and a small form flung itself from the darkness, and sprinted away. Don watched it go, following it would have meant dumping his precious computer scrap into sewer water and he wasn't going to do that.

"You wouldn't have caught it, anyway..." Mike said as though reading Don's thoughts. "It's too fast."

Don curled his lip, disbelieving. "Faster than us?"

Mikey nodded. "It's hard to describe, but I doubt even Leo can catch it. C'mon, let's get back. I'm hungry."

"I wonder what it is." Leo rested his chin on his hand. "Do you think it's spying on us?"

Mike shrugged his shoulders. Don shook his head.

"I doubt it, Leo. Mike said that it was in exactly the same place as he saw it last. It isn't anywhere near us. It might even live around there. It's not somewhere we go to very often."

Leo frowned in response. "What if it tried to find us? It definitely saw you?"

"Yeah, in trench coats." Mike answered. "Whether it knows we're giant turtles I'm not sure. I didn't get the chance to ask."

Leo looked from Mike to Don with slight annoyance. They really should be a lot more concerned about the risk of a strange being discovering their home.

"There's no need to be sarcastic. I think we should..."

Raph stood up suddenly, scraping his chair across the floor loudly and making everyone's teeth stand on edge.

"Why are we just sat here?" He scowled. "Why don't we go and find the damn thing."

"Raph… " Leo began in exasperation. Then reluctantly he realised Raph was right. What was the point in discussing it when they didn't even know what they could be facing?

"Do not engage it." Splinter called after them. "Simply observe. And if you have time, pick up some strong cheddar."

"There's no one here." Leo shook his head. "There's no sign anyone has even been here."

Don glanced around. "I never liked this part of the sewers. It's always too cold. And it stinks." He gave a little shudder.

Raph repressed a shudder of his own. "The whole sewer stinks. Let's go." He was bored and annoyed. He'd been hoping for some action at least, he was very disappointed that it wasn't a stray member of the Foot Clan or something.

The turtles turned and headed for home, Mike paused and looked back, puzzled. Whatever the creature was, it wasn't there now. He no longer had the feeling of being watched. They reached a junction in the sewers and began to follow their path home when Mike suddenly grabbed Leo's arm. "Look!"

Mike and his brothers gazed down the tunnel. A small figure stood looking up at the ceiling. As they watched, it jumped up with its arm raised as though trying to reach something. Then it stepped back and craned it's neck to look up at the ceiling again.

It was a human girl, she didn't look much older than fourteen. She was petite and skinny with long straight dirty blonde hair and bangs that fluffed out to the side. She wore a pair of filthy jeans and an old shabby and stained t-shirt.

The brothers watched as she climbed the corroded metal rungs in the wall and pushed at the roof of the tunnel. Leo remembered there was a manhole cover somewhere nearby and that must be what she was pushing at. She was trying to get out.


	2. Lost In Shadow Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You three had best stay here," Leonardo whispered. "If we all go we might startle her."

Leo's brothers watched him walk cautiously towards the young girl.

"Like a giant talking reptile isn't gonna startle her, anyway." Raphael mumbled.

Leo glanced back him with a frown. He really hoped the girl wouldn't freak out at the sight of him and run deeper into the sewers.

The girl noticed him and started. She stepped back, her eyes wide with fear.

"Don't be scared." Leo whispered. "It's okay. I won't come close."

The girl took another step back, she looked like she might bolt.

"I just want to help you get out..." Leo added, hastily. He didn't want her to get lost in the tunnels. Leonardo climbed the metal rungs and pushed at the manhole cover. It was more difficult to move than most he realised as he struggled with it.

The girl stared up at him, her head cocked to one side, looking a little awed. Leo couldn't believe how dirty she looked. She must've been wandering around the sewers for quite sometime. He wondered how she'd got down there in the first place.

If I lived in a house or an apartment, the last thing I'd want to do is come down here, he thought to himself. Just as he was thinking of getting one of his brothers to help, the manhole cover suddenly gave way. Leo pushed it across with one hand as he held on to the rungs of the ladder. He jumped down.

"There you go." He said. "You should go straight to the hospital."

The girl stared up at the hole in the tunnel roof, squinting into the light. She put a small white hand on a rung, a thin silver bracelet slid down her pale arm and stopped. She looked up again and began to climb, then she vanished through the opening.

"How did she get down here?" Mike wondered.

"Maybe she fell." Leo suggested.

"Fell? How?" Don gave a snort.

"Who cares." Raph scowled. "She's gone. That's all that matters. I'm more concerned about that thing Mikey was chasing."

"You were unable to find it?" Splinter asked. He entered the room carrying a mug of tea. "What did it look like?"

"I don't know, it was dark, there are no grates there so there was no light shining through."

"Did it seem human?" Splinter persisted.

"I don't know, kind of. I was too busy trying to catch it. It was fast. Unreal."

"The thing I saw was kind of human shaped." Don acknowledged. "Perhaps it was just that girl."

"Are you saying I couldn't catch up to a little girl?" Mike frowned irritably at Don.

Don raised his eyebrows realising the obvious flaw in his logic and then shook his head, but Raph started to laugh.

"Too much pizza and videogames Mikey! You need to train harder!"

"Indeed." Splinter said with a smile. "Perhaps more of your free time could be spent a little more conscientiously."

Leo nodded in agreement and fixed an admonishing look towards Mike.

"A kid isn't gonna get away from me and you know it." Mike didn't take too kindly to Raph's teasing. "It was something else."

Splinter took a sip of tea. "There are very strange creatures down here, as you all know. I think we must now be wary of this one also, until we understand its intentions."

Raphael stood stock still, his ears straining to pick out and identify every sound that surrounded him. This was definitely the place Mike and Don had taken them to, but there was no sign of any creature.

After their talk with Splinter, Raph had decided he would go and find out what the creature's intentions were whether it liked it or not. So there he was, unable to find so much as a footprint.

The place made him feel uncomfortable, too. It was dark, silent and foul smelling. It had an eerie feel to it. Raph wasn't surprised that it had bothered Mikey; he didn't like it himself. Not that he'd admit that out loud. The place hadn't seemed so bad when his brothers were there. His spine tingled and he felt an urge to run.

Raph's senses kicked in and he quickly and silently stepped back into the shadows. He could smell something else, mingled with the foul stink. It was more pleasant, but with a strange, sickly sweetness, like a cheap kids perfume. He stood as still as death, hardly breathing. Then he heard someone else breathing, fast breathing as though whatever it was had been running, or was afraid. Raph leapt out, intending to grab the creature, but it flung itself back against the wall and emitted a terrified shriek. Raph only just managed to stop himself as he found himself staring into the frightened eyes of the girl they saw yesterday.

"What the…" Raph stared at her, his heart racing. He could have hurt her, or worse, killed her.

"What the hell are you doing back down here?" He yelled. "Are you stupid?" Unlike Leo, Raph didn't care about scaring her. If she was scared then she was less likely to come back, right?

The girl stared back at him petrified. Her mouth working but no sound coming forth, eventually she managed to force some words out. "…they keep …pushing me back in…"

Raph was still angry; he couldn't believe how stupid someone could be. What the hell was so attractive about a sewer anyway? If he had a choice he certainly wouldn't be living down here. Then the kid's words sank in and he hesitated, genuinely concerned.

"Who keeps pushing you back in?"

The girl pointed at the roof of the sewer tunnel.

Raphael swore under his breath. He walked to the manhole Leo had climbed to and began to struggle with it. It was hard to open. Raph had wondered what had taken Leo so long, now he knew. Raph began to get more and more annoyed until finally he got it open. He shoved the heavy metal cover to the side and cautiously peered through the hole. He found himself looking at an alleyway strewn with trash. Raph climbed out and had a look around, then jumped back down into the sewer.

"There's no one up there now," he said.

The girl looked from him to the opening above her. She gazed at it a moment then preceded to climb out, disappearing through the manhole. Raph waited for her to close it over, and swore when she didn't. She hadn't bothered the day before either. He climbed up and closed it himself, grumbling all the while.

But Raph felt uneasy as he walked back. Something wasn't right. He knew it. He just couldn't quite work out what.

"That kid was down here again." Raph noted after training.

Leonardo was wiping the back of his neck with a towel. He looked up, surprised. "Again?"

"Yeah. In that same disgusting area."

"I told you not to go back there!" Leo snapped.

"Yeah." Raph shrugged his shoulders, disinterestedly. "You tell me a lot of things."

Leo counted to ten in his head. He wasn't going to let Raph rile him. He was going to finish the conversation, have a nice hot shower and then sit and meditate for an hour.

"She said someone pushed her back in."

Leo frowned. "Did you see anyone?"

"Nope."

"I take it you went to try and find Mikey's monster?"

"Yeah. No sign. Just that stupid kid. But y'know Leo, something's off. I can't put my finger on it."

"What if she's telling people she saw giant turtles in the sewers, and they're looking for us. Maybe she came back to find us again." Mike said. "Maybe they pushed her in as bait! Inquisitive Turtle bait!"

Leo's brow furrowed even more.

"You're talking crap, Mike. I've just been." Raph said. "There's no sign anyone else has been there."

"Except the girl was there." Leo answered reproachfully.

"Yeah. And now she's gone." Raph glowered.

"I've got more important things to do, anyway." Don piped up from his computer.

"Yeah, right. Important." Mikey smirked over at Don. "Like flirting with glittergirl19 on chat. Real important..."

Don tapped a key and the computer screen reverted to the desktop. He gave Mike a stony look. "I was not flirting. I do not 'flirt'."

"I think we should check anyway." Leo said to Raph. "You might have missed something…"

Raph clenched his fists. Did Leo really think he was that incompetent? Raph wasn't going to just stand there and take that affront to his abilities. Hell no.

"Look. Nothing. Nada. Absolute zilch." Raph went to the wall where Don had seen the shadowy figure and tapped it with his sai. "I can't believe I let you drag me here again." He fixed Leo with an angry glare.

Leo responded with an equally angry look. "We're searching for signs of humans looking for us now, not Mikey's weird monster." Leo rolled his eyes.

"C'mon guys, don't start fighting again." Mike groaned.

"We'd get stuff done a lot quicker if you two didn't insist on fighting for dominance every two minutes." Don added irritably. "Like rutting stags," he muttered quietly.

"Can I help it if Leo is an uptight jerk who can't trust my word?" Raph glowered.

"Perhaps if you listened to me when I say not to do something then I would trust you…" Leo retorted.

"And why the hell should I do what you tell me to? I can go where the hell I want."

"Not if it jeopardises our safety!"

"Blah blah blah. Will you both stop." Don sighed. "Can we go home now? This has got to be the worst smelling part of the sewers. It makes me want to vomit."

Mike pulled a face. "All I can smell is flowers."

Raph glanced at him. "Like perfume or somethin'?"

"Oh no…"

The other three turtles turned and looked at Leo. He was a little further up from them, peering down one of the other tunnels. The same tunnel they'd seen the girl in. He looked a little pale.

"What?" His brothers hurried over to him, but Leo put his hand out to silence them.

"Look." Leo whispered.

The girl was back again, standing under the manhole, looking up. She reached her arm out and jumped trying to touch the roof of the tunnel, then she paused, staring at the manhole cover. She climbed the rungs of the rusty ladder, and  
pushed at the metal disc with a thin white arm.


	3. Lost In Shadow Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What the hell?" Raphael started forward.

"Raph wait." Michelangelo grabbed his arm. "I've got a really nasty feeling about this. Just watch her a minute."

Raph pulled his arm away from Mike's grasp, but stayed where he was.

The girl climbed back down the rungs then stared back up at the manhole again. She put her hand on her midriff and looked up and down the tunnel. Then she began to walk towards the turtles, still holding her arm across her stomach. The turtles instinctively pulled back against the wall dissolving into the darkness of the tunnel.

As the girl passed the brothers could hear her breathing. It was quick, as though she was afraid and her face was twisted in pain. Their eyes strayed reluctantly to where her hand was clutching at her waist, there was a dark brown stain on her filthy t-shirt, like dried blood.

"We'd better try to get her to a hospital…" Donatello murmured watching her walk away.

His brothers were silent. They could only just see her in the darkness, sitting down in the sewer water against the wall. Her pale skin had a slight luminous quality. She sat back and was lost in shadow, but they could still hear her quick breathing.

"You're right…" Raph eventually answered Don. "Shall we get April to take her in?"

"Don't you get it?" Mike hissed.

Don and Raph looked at him hesitantly before exchanging looks. They knew what he was getting at, but neither wanted to believe it.

"I think we've found that thing Mikey couldn't catch…" Leonardo muttered.

They were silent another moment, only able to hear the girl's quick breathing getting more and more laboured.

"She'll die." Don took a step forward.

"She's already dead." Leo took his brother's wrist, holding him back. "She's been dead a long time."

Together, they crept to the corner where she sat. Don leant forward curiously and touched the wall. "Nothing…" A putrid stench suddenly filled his nostrils, Don flung himself back and dry heaved.

"Oh jeez..." Raph covered his nose. "That's vile!" He backed away with Don.

"She must've died right here." Leo said looking down. Mike crouched at the spot she'd been and gave a sad nod.

Leo looked over at Don and Raph they stood back warily from the girl's final resting place. Don looked pale, he found it difficult to believe. He didn't believe in ghosts. It wasn't logical. Yet he'd seen it all with his own eyes. Raph did his best to be nonchalant and hide the horror he felt.

"But she climbed out!"

"Obviously she didn't get very far." Leo said calmly.

"She… It spoke to me."

Leo shrugged. "I think we should tell Splinter."

-

"A ghost?" Splinter looked a little surprised. "Do you think that is what you were chasing, Michelangelo?"

Mike nodded. "It makes sense. Why I couldn't grab her, or even see her half the time."

"I would like to see the spirit." Splinter said, thoughtfully. "I hope it is not malicious in any way."

Mike shrugged. "She doesn't seem to be. She probably just wants to get out. Who can blame her?"

Don sat on the sofa with a grim expression on his face. "Ghosts don't exist." He said. "There must be some other explanation. Maybe we imagined it. It could be something psychological. Maybe it was hallucinogenic gas? Or something we ate."

"Face it, Donnie, you've found something you can't explain away with science." Mike grinned.

"Yet." Don returned Mike's grin.

-

Splinter watched the child reach up to the manhole and jump, observed her climb the rusty ladder and push at the manhole cover.

"I have seen enough. The spirit is not at rest, but doesn't appear malignant. Nevertheless I think we should leave it alone."

Leo nodded slowly. "But, if you don't mind, sensei. I just want to watch a little longer."

Splinter hesitated, then he gave a stiff nod and turned for home.

Leo watched the small figure pass him, watched it sit down in darkness and listened to her rasping breath, then finally silence. He waited. It seemed like a long time then he was startled by a loud scraping noise and what seemed like the echo of cruel voices.

The girl appeared on the floor underneath the manhole, lying at an awkward angle as though she'd been thrown. There was a clank that seemed to reverberate through the tunnels, though it was barely audible. She lay there unmoving for a long time, Leo shifted uncomfortably without taking his eyes from the still form, determined to see it through.

Eventually she sat up, holding her side and looking around. She stood up, wearing a frightened expression and glanced up and down the tunnel. The look of fear didn't leave her face as she climbed quickly up the ladder and pushed frantically at the manhole cover but it didn't budge. She climbed down and began to walk away from Leo along the tunnel. He followed silently as she meandered around, getting weaker and weaker, eventually ending up under the same manhole again. Then, following the now familiar routine, she reached up and jumped, climbed up the ladder and tried the manhole cover again, then walked slowly around the corner to sit down in the darkness. Leo listened to her die again.

-

"She was down here hours before she died." Leo murmured. "It must have been terrifying for her."

"I can't believe you sat and watched all that." Don shook his head. "That's morbid."

"I thought I might get a clue about how she died." Leo explained. "I think whoever threw her in thought she was dead."

"Why?"

"She was unconscious for hours, and she was bleeding. I think she was stabbed."

"Poor kid. Too bad we don't know who she is." Don turned back to his computer.

"Mmm." Leo sat back. Something niggled at the back of his mind.

He couldn't concentrate on anything all evening, making a total show of himself during training much to his brother's gleeful amusement. Raph's in particular.

"Is something bothering you, my son?" Splinter queried with concern. "Are you thinking about the spirit?"

Leo gave a little nod.

"It's regrettable, but what has happened is done. Try not to dwell on it, Leonardo."

Leo gave a nod and after his shower he sat on the sofa staring blankly at the TV for the rest of the evening, too unfocused to meditate. He sat there until everyone except himself and Don had gone to sleep. Eventually Don yawned and stretched.

"That's it, no more tinkering. I'm going to bed."

Leo turned and stared at Don, a peculiar look on his face as though realisation had just hit him.

"What?"

"I've got an idea. Don, you've got to come with me!"

"What? Where?"

"To see the ghost."

Don shook his head. "At this time of night? You have got to be kidding. Besides, I don't think I'll ever go back there if I can help it." He gave a visible shudder. "Horrible place."

Leo stood and picked up his katana. "It wasn't that bad. Are you scared?"

"It was. And no."

"Well if you won't come, I'll go on my own." Leo headed for the door.

"Fine." Don stood still a minute then cursed under his breath. He didn't want Leo going back to that revolting place, especially not alone. "Wait. Okay, I'll come." Don said reluctantly.

"Good. Grab a flashlight will you?"


	4. Lost In Shadow Chapter 4

First... thanks for all your reviews! :D I really appreciate it, it's great to get feedback!   
Second... I'm going to apologise in advance for any spelling errors. I'm having to work on a very basic program that doesn't have a spell check, as my version of Appleworks insists on putting strange O shaped characters in instead of quotation marks whenever it's uploaded, and it takes me ages to edit them in Simpletext. So sorry about that. ... no Thesaurus, either.. *mutters*   
Anyway.. on with the story....  
  
  
Lost In Shadow  
  
Chapter 4  
  
  
Don held the flashlight, watching Leo dig in the greasy black water. He gave an impatient sigh.  
"Leo we won't find anything. Her bones will have been washed away, years ago."  
Leo didn't look up. "There must be a trace of her somewhere. Besides, it's not bones I'm looking for." He stepped back, his eyes watering as the odious stink rose in his face. "...oh... man..."  
"I told you this part of the sewers stunk worse than most." Don covered his beak.  
Leo looked grave. "I think it's because she died here. Mike and Raph could smell her perfume here, too. I think it's like a ghost smell."  
"A ghost.. smell?" Don snorted. "Whatever it is, it's disgusting."  
"The water's black." Leo looked at it, slightly repulsed.  
"No it isn't. It's just because it's dark." Don looked at the water without interest.  
"Whatever. Hold the flashlight still, I'm gonna have another look."  
Don shook his head. "I'm gonna go back soon, " he said watching Leo dig. "I'm tired and this place creeps me out."  
Leo rolled his eyes. "Knew I should have brought Mikey, " he muttered.  
Don scowled and looked up, right into a pair of cold grey eyes. They gazed back at him intensly from a pale, luminous face. Don cried out, and flung himself back, bumping against the wall behind him.  
"Shit!!"  
Leo's head snapped up, ready to fight if need be. He looked at the ghost, calmly. She was no threat.  
"We want to help you...." he said.  
Don, his hand on his plastron, caught his breath and waited untill his heartbeat slowed to it's usual pace. "... speak for yourself." He grumbled. "It nearly gave me a heart attack."  
Leo glared at Don, then looked back at the girl. "What happened to you?"  
Her eyes were hard, like marble. Eventually she opened her mouth, but she didn't speak. She shook her head and turned away.  
Leo looked down at the oily black sludge. "Do you want a burial?"  
Her stony gaze returned to Leo, then she looked down at the water at his feet.  
"...there's nothing left..." She turned her back and walked away. Leo looked at Don, who looked blanker than he'd ever seen him, then sloshed after her.  
"Nothing?!" Leo stared hopelessly at the putrid water. The girl paused and gazed at him again, then she pointed ahead and began walking. Leonardo followed.  
"Leo!!" Don yelled. "Where're you..."  
"She's showing me something."  
Don let his head drop. "Awwww... c'mon... it's the middle of the night. Can't it wait?!"  
Leo stopped. He shot Don an icy look. "Fine. Give me the flashlight, then." He held out his hand impatiently.  
Don looked at him in surprise. This was obviously getting to Leo. Don rubbed the back of his neck, it wasn't like he had to get up for school or anything.  
"Okay, I'll come ...but I don't like this..."  
"You don't have to come." Leo clenched his jaw. "I don't want you to come if you're going to be so negative and whiny."  
Whiny?! Don felt his temper flare and balled his hands into fists. Then he let it go. This was obviously important to Leo. He gave a lopsided grin.  
"Okay, I won't."  
Leo frowned.  
"I promise!"  
"Alright..." Leo turned and followed the small figure as it drifted down the tunnel. She seemed to take them in almost a straight line, untill they were wading through parts of the sewer they didn't recognise. Don explored the tunnel with the flashlight as they walked, playing it up and down the walls, until he eventually gave in to boredom and began twirling it around watching the light bounce in circles.  
Leo looked back. "Will you quit it?!"  
Don stopped and pointed the flashlight ahead. "What's it doing?"  
She'd stopped at a large grate and was crouched in front of it. She peered into the thick grey gunk that had gathered at the bottom. Don looked down at it in disgust, but held his tongue. Leo looked at the girl, she'd put her hand to the squidgey mess but it seemed to go right through. Don stared, fascinated, wondering what she was made of and lapsed into scientific thought of the subject... Leo crouched opposite her and pointed at the slime she'd tried to touch.  
"Here?"  
She nodded.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Leo dug with his hands, wrinkling his nose. "Uhh..." He fought back nausea and turned to Don. "Bring that flashlight over here." Don squatted beside him shining the torch into the hole Leo had dug. He seemed to dig for hours, scooping out the loathsome sludge, but only half an hour had gone by. Don glanced at him, he looked sick.  
"...want me to take over for a while?" Don asked, reluctantly. Leo nodded. Don passed him the flashlight then sunk his hands into the soft slop. He balked at the stench and the touch of it.  
"Urrgh. This is so gross.." He looked at Leo aghast.   
Leo smirked. "I know."  
Don pulled out handfuls of gunk, then the girl gave a tiny gasp. They both looked up at her. She pointed to a fine, glistening trail of slime slung between two bars of the grate like saliva.  
Don pulled a disgusted face, Leo carefully unwound it then drew his finger and thumb along it, wiping it clean. It gleamed dully in the beam of the flashlight. Don looked at it, quizzically.  
"What is it?"  
"What I was looking for... her bracelet." Leo turned the dirty, tarnished silver over in his hand. He looked over at the spirit, but she was gone.  
"Looks like it might have something engraved on it..." Don examined it. "But it'll need a good clean."  
Leo nodded. "Come on let's get back." 


	5. Lost In Shadow Chapter 5

I know this has taken forever. Apologies if anyone was actually enjoying it… I swear I'm going to keep up to date with it…. ~Loolaa

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**Lost In Shadow**

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**Chapter 5**

Mikey was having a great dream, he was at high school. He was one of the most popular guys in school. He'd just won a surfing trophy and was now on his way to see his girlfriend. Life was great. He walked across the grass, in the sunshine, amongst people, he'd never felt so happy. His girlfriend sat on a wall with three of her friends. He grinned at her. She smiled back; she was beautiful, perfect in everyway. One of her friends was blowing bubbles; they floated past him reflecting rainbow colours in the sunlight. Another friend stood suddenly... 

"I'm off to the rabbit melding factory, now," she said, walking away. Another girl had a cat on her lap; she sat chatting to it as though it was a baby. Mike was about to speak when the cat spoke back. Mike blinked. That wasn't right. The cat morphed into a polar bear, snow began to fall and Mike felt the temperature drop. 

He woke with a start and shivered. He was freezing and his room felt like an ice box. The room being cold wasn't really that unusual, living in the sewers had many disadvantages and this was only one of them. This cold was different, though. He sat up, blinking away sleep, and opened his eyes. 

A large pair of empty grey eyes stared at him from a white bloodless face. Mike almost shot through the roof. The girl stepped back, her head tilted on one side. Mike put his hand over his plastron, feeling his heart thudding hard against his chest, then felt a little foolish. He knew she couldn't hurt him, but the obvious thought struck him. 

"What are you doing here?!" 

She smiled, and then vanished. Mike's room warmed almost instantly. He shuddered and got out of bed, no way could he sleep now. Wrapping a blanket around his shoulders he wandered through to the lounge and sat on the couch, flicking on the TV. He wondered whether he should go and wake Splinter up to inform him of the ghost's appearance in their home. It was six a.m.; Splinter would be up soon, anyway. 

Six a.m..... Mikey blinked. He was never up this early... unless he was dragged out of bed by Leo. He sighed and clicked the channels over.

Soon the door to Splinter's room opened and Splinter emerged looking a little bleary eyed. He did a double take when he saw Mike.

"Michelangelo... What are you doing up this early?!" He looked about. "Where is Leonardo?" 

"Asleep, sensei... he didn't wake me... I got up because..." Mike paused, thinking to himself. Had he imagined it? No... He was sure that he hadn't... 

"….the ghost of that girl was in my room..." Mike frowned to himself, thinking he sounded ridiculous. Splinter looked puzzled. 

"What would it be doing here? Are you sure you did not dream it, my son?" 

Mikey thought of his great dream about high school... then the weird feeling he'd woken to. The sudden drop in temperature... Those dead eyes, all pale and starey. He hadn't imagined it, that was for sure.

"I'm sure, Sensei. She was here. It was cold..."

"She has never been here before..?

Mike shook his head and watched Splinter as he moved over to make some tea. 

"Odd indeed." Splinter gazed at Mike with concern for a moment.

"Why don't you go and get a shower, Michelangelo. It may relax you a little."

Splinter's eyes followed him to the shower room. Mike appeared to be quite apprehensive by whatever had disturbed his sleep. Splinter couldn't help dwelling on it as he poured boiling water into the pot. Michelangelo's voice suddenly piped up, interrupting Splinter's thoughts. "Sensei!! Donatello's fallen asleep in the shower!!" 

Splinter blinked. Then he heard Don muttering.

"Mike... shhhhh! You don't have to tell him!"

Splinter poked his head around the door, Don scrambled up quickly, his feet slipping on the wet floor. Splinter's brow furrowed. 

"...why...?" 

Don grinned, sheepishly. "Uh... I was tired.... I went to bed late." He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist, and padded out quickly, trying to get to his room before Splinter caught him, but it was too late.

"Donatello..." He paused. 

"...yes, sensei..."

"About these late nights on your computer… Perhaps you should take a break from it for a little while." 

Don shook his head vigorously. "I wasn't on my computer, master. I went out." Anything was better than Splinter rebuking his computer privileges.

"Late? When did you return?" Splinter questioned. 

Don sighed. "I don't know... about half four... ish…" He winced. 

Splinter raised his eyebrows. "What was so important that you were out half the night?" 

"Well..." Don shrugged. Leo had gotten him into this, there was no way he was going to let himself take all of the blame… "I couldn't let Leo go out by himself..."

"Leonardo...?" Splinter shook his head slowly. "I shall speak with him when he wakes."

Don turned and scurried off to his room.

Splinter drank his tea and pondered. Why would Leonardo and Donatello go out so late? They hadn't heard any news of The Foot Clan since The Shredder had died for the second time. It couldn't be that. If Leonardo had any information he would have let Splinter know. 

Leonardo had, of course, been concerned about the ghost of the young girl, and had also been subdued all the previous day. It must have to do with the ghost. Splinter's thoughts turned to Michelangelo. He had been so sure he'd seen the girl in his room and Splinter did not doubt his son's sincerity. Splinter cupped his tea in his hands lapsing deeper into thought. There was a sudden crash, Splinter sat bold upright. 

"...now what...?" He muttered as Raph stormed out of his room, a wild look in his eyes.

"Raphael..." Splinter said. "What is it?"

"That damn ghost! It was in my..." Raph paused, remembering not to swear in front of Splinter. "..My room...!"

Splinter looked behind Raph and peered into his room. It was empty.

"She was there!" Raph spluttered.

Splinter nodded. "I know. Michelangelo saw the same earlier. Would you fetch Leonardo and Donatello for me, please? I would like to speak with you all."

Splinter sat at the table awaiting his sons. He noticed an item of jewellery on the table and picked it up. At first he thought it might be April's then ruled that out when he saw it was covered in sewage. He examined it closely. The stench turned his stomach, which was unusual. He was used to the smell of the sewer. This smell was different, it was foul... evil smelling. Splinter rubbed at a flat rectangular part of the bracelet, trying to make out an engraved word. He immediately knew where it was from and who it belonged to. Splinter gave an impatient shake of his head. He couldn't believe Leonardo would be so thoughtless as to bring the bracelet home. 

Mike came out of the shower whistling a jolly tune. He'd almost convinced himself that the ghost had been a combined product of an over active imagination, too much pizza, and the late night movie. 

…But one look at Splinter and his whistle faded.

"Are you okay, Splinter...? You look like... well.... " Really pissed off... he was going to say, but decided against it.

"Please sit down, Michelangelo. I wish to speak to all of you." 

Mike sat, Raph returned with Don who was followed shortly by Leo.

Splinter held up the bracelet. Raph and Mike looked blank. Don massaged his temple and glanced at Leo.

"It belongs to the girl." Leo said.

Splinter nodded. "Why was it brought here?"

"I want to find out what happened to her," Leo replied. "She showed us the bracelet. I thought maybe we could use it to trace her."

"Oh great." Raph pulled a face. "Is that why it was in my room, because **that's** here?"

"In your room?" Leo repeated in disbelief.

"Both Raphael and Michelangelo have had visits from this ghost." Splinter explained. "It must have an attachment to this bracelet."

"Oh… I didn't expect that…" Leo raised his eye ridge.

"Creepy," muttered Mikey. "I really don't want to wake up to that again, Leo."

"Me neither." Raph scowled.

"Can't we just take it away and put it somewhere else?" Don asked. "Like…" 

"Like where it came from in the first place," said Raph. "I'm taking it back, no way am I living with a ghost." He picked up the bracelet.

Leo stood quickly. "No. I need that. I'm going to trace her with it."

Raph rolled his eyes. "How? It's got the name 'Susan' written on it. Now I'm no human…" Raph spread his arms, his whole demeanour screaming sarcasm. "…but I'm pretty sure there's about half a million Susans out there. **Past and present." **

Leo reached out his hand. "I'll cope. Give it back."

"Leo, you've gone crazy. I mean more than usual..." Raph shook his head.

"Give me the bracelet."

"Fine." Raph dropped it into Leo's outstretched hand. His eyes narrowed. "Good luck."

Leo glared back. "Thanks." He said stiffly, he looked past Raph at Splinter. "Sensei, I'm going to visit April, she might help."

Splinter gave a nod and watched Leo leave. Raph jerked a thumb at the door he'd just left through.

"He's lost it…" 


	6. Lost In Shadow Chapter 6

Lost In Shadow

Chapter 6

Leo made his way to April's apartment slowly.  He had a lot to think about.  Clearly his brothers weren't as keen to help the girl out as he thought they'd be.  'Perhaps they'd show more enthusiasm if she were alive,' he thought.  He couldn't quite believe that her appearance in their home had freaked them out so much either.  I mean, hadn't they dealt with things a hell of a lot worse than some ghost of a little girl?  Leo shook his head.  He really hoped April would be more sympathetic.  No way was he giving up on this.  She mightn't be alive… but being stuck in one of the nastiest parts of the sewers having to re-live your death over and over… well… it was pretty grim.

Leo debated whether to attach climbing spikes to his hands and scale April's apartment building, or whether he should use the main entrance.  He had a trench coat and hat he'd grabbed on his way out rolled under his arm.  Leo stopped.  Perhaps it might be a good idea if he put them on.  

He shook his head, hard, trying to rid it of the muggy feeling.  He was glad Raph wasn't there to laugh at his mistake.  He'd been so lost in thought he hadn't even put on his disguise.  There was hardly anyone around… and it was only just 7:00am, but still…  He cursed himself under his breath for being so stupid.  What was wrong?  Not like him…

He opted for the main entrance.  Climbing the side of the building wouldn't be wise in the morning sunlight.  Jeez… why did he even have to think about it?  He should know that.

He rang the intercom.  

There was a long pause, and then a sleepy voice answered.

"…h'lo…?"

"April.  It's me, Leo."

Another pause.

"O' co'rse… wh' else would it be…? sev'n 'clock onna sunday mornin'…"

The door buzzed Leo pushed it and bounded up the stairs to April's apartment.  April opened the door, bleary eyed, with her dressing gown hanging off as though she'd just flung it on in a sleepy rush.

"April."

"Leo, hi… "April yawned.  "..a little early, aren't you?"

"Huh?  Oh yeah, sorry April, I just…"

"Leo… look...  I have a man in here.  A naked man, in my bed…"

Leo, about to launch into an explanation about the ghost of the girl and what help he desperately needed… paused.  He felt himself go slack jawed.  There could have been a blush, too.  He wasn't sure.  He just felt really confused all of a sudden.

"Wha…?"  Was all he could muster.

April laughed loudly.  "Get in."  She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her apartment.  "The look on your face…"  She was still giggling.  "You're so easy to wind up…"

"But…" Leo stared at her bewildered.  "Don't you want some privacy…?" 

"I was joking.  Making a point.  Never mind."  She grinned at him, and then frowned a little.  "Leo are you okay?  You don't seem like yourself."

"I'm not… at least… I think I am... then I go and do something stupid."

April shrugged and walked into the kitchen.  "Everyone makes mistakes.  Coffee?"

"There's a ghost in the sewer."

"A ghost, huh?  That calls for filter instead of instant.  Stronger stuff."

Leo stared at her.  "Are you even listening?" 

"I will, "April spooned mini mountains of coffee into the percolator. " When I've had my first coffee.  It's Sunday morning, Leo.  I like a lie in.  Remember?"

"… right…"  Leo sat down on a kitchen stool.  "Sorry."

"No problem."  She poured in the water then turned to him.  "Right.  You have a ghost in the sewer?"

Leo nodded.  April shrugged.  "…and…?"

"Doesn't that surprise you, April?  Or even freak you out a little that ghosts exist?  He won't admit it but even Raph's really horrified by it."

April shook her head.  "Leo… I know four giant talking turtles, a giant talking rat, and a guy who goes out to play hockey with the body parts of local hoods.  A ghost **really** wouldn't surprise me."  She gave him an apologetic look.  "In fact, it's even quite tame in comparison…"

"…good point."  Leo listened to the gurgling sounds of the percolator for a moment.  "I need your help, April.  My brothers aren't really interested."

April began to pour some Golden Grahams into a bowl.  "What do you need me to do?"

Leo shrugged.  "I need to find info on this girl.  But all I've got is the name 'Susan' on an identity bracelet.  I'd recognise her if I saw a photo."

"Do you know how she died?"

"Yeah… she was re-living it all. She had blood on her shirt, and was thrown into the sewers."

April pulled a face.  "We could try searching for old newspaper reports about missing… how old is... was she..?"

"Dunno. About fourteen, I think."

"Missing teenagers.  Do you know when she died?"

Leo shrugged.

"Well we need to work that out or we've got a lot of trawling to do.  Breakfast?"

                                                ----------

Mikey plonked a bowl of cereal down beside Don.  "We should help Leo,"  he said through a mouthful of Cheerios.

"To do what?"

"…I don't know.  Whatever he's doing.  He wants to find out about her, right?" 

"Why?"  Don sighed.  "She's dead.  What's there to know?"

"To put her at rest."

Don closed his eyes.  

Raph glanced over from his position on the couch.  "I just want it **out** of here."

"She's gone, isn't she?"  Mike said.  "Leo took the bracelet with him so…"

As though on cue, the ghost walked through the wall stopping between him and Don.  The temperature dropped in an instant.  Mike almost spilt his cereal.

Don grimaced; Raph gave Mike an 'I told you so' look and turned away.  The ghost smiled and drifted towards the sofa and Raph.  Don looked at Mike with a shudder.

"Will helping Leo make it go away?"

"Maybe," Mike grinned.

Don booted up his p.c.  "Okay… one internet search for 'missing girl' coming up…."

An hour later, Don was rubbing his forehead with frustration.  Mikey peered over his shoulder.

"The NY Times archives only go back to 1996…"  Don grumbled.  "But look… I've found stuff about a fire somewhere in Indiana in 1871…!"

Mike pulled a face.  "C'mon Donnie, if you can find newspaper articles from 1871, then the 1970's should be no problem?"

"It's harder.  People have some kind of historical interest in, like, the 1800's or whatever.  The seventies are too recent, they're not… "Don paused.  "The seventies…?  How do you know she's from the seventies?"

Mikey shrugged.  "I dunno, her hair I guess… and those flared jeans. They're seventies, right?"

"I think you're right.  I was thinking more recently… but that means the kid would be anything up to 30 years old…"

"If she was alive… "Mikey nodded.

"That too… "Don frowned.  "Do you think Leo will know?"

"I'll call April."  Mikey grinned.

"Well, when you do, "Raph griped.  "Pass it on to Leo that the ghost hasn't gone.  Even though he's taken the bracelet with him."  

He glowered at the ghost standing in the corner; it's head on one side as it looked about the room.  "If it wakes me up again tonight, I'm holdin' Leo responsible…"

Mike rolled his eyes, picked up the phone and dialled April's number.

"April!  Hey!"

"Hi Mike."

"Has Leo told you about our pet ghost?"  

Don and Raph pulled irritated faces at Mike then looked at each other.  Raph shook his head and muttered under his breath.

"Yeah," April said.  "He's going to try to trace her."

"Uh huh," Mike replied.  "I think she's from the seventies because she's wearing flares and kind of looks like a pre- teen Charlie's Angel."

Raph and Don glanced over at the ghost again with puzzled looks.

"Seventies, that narrows it down.  Thanks Mike.  We're going to the library tomorrow to check out the newspaper archives.  We'll find something.  Leo said you guys aren't interested."

"I am!"  Mike glanced at his brothers. "Only Raph seems to hate her and Don's still trying to convince himself she doesn't exist."

"I am not."  Don scowled.

Raph nodded pleasantly.  "He's right, I do hate it.  Especially when the damn thing wakes me up at six in the morning…"

Mike stuck a finger in his ear to muffle the sounds of Raph's grumbling.

"Raph also wanted me to pass onto Leo that the ghost's still here even though the bracelet is at your place.  So whatever attachment we thought she had to it, I guess it isn't as strong as we thought…"

"Maybe she's lonely…"  April suggested.  "If the only thing it's had to do for the last twenty or thirty years is re-live its own death it's probably glad for a little company.  Look Mike, I'd better go Leo's practicing katas in the kitchen and I just know he's going to break something…."

"Well?"  Don asked.

"They're going to the library tomorrow to search newspaper archives."  

"Good.  I guess I can stop banging my head against a brick wall then."  Don disconnected from the net.

"How's Leo?"  Raph asked in a tone that said he couldn't care less.  "Practicing katas… He'll probably be back soon… he can't go to the library 'til it opens tomorrow and if he breaks any of April's mugs she'll..."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhh!"

Mikey spun around; Raph leapt over the sofa… both gawked wide eyed at Don.  It was Don who had yelled.  He stood a couple of feet away from his computer which emitted blue sparks, flashes of light and loud crackles.  Don stretched out a shaking hand and pointed at the ghost who had just walked through his electronic pride and joy.

"It just killed my PC…."

Raph swore. "That's it.  It's leaving."

"…it was an accident… "Mikey said.  "Look at her face she didn't mean it…"

"Well I'm not risking the TV…"  Raph began.

"The TV!?!  What about my $%£!&*^! computer?!"  Don shouted.  "I want that thing out of here…!  Now!"

Raph stepped forward and glared into the ghosts face.  "You.  You've overstayed your welcome. Out.  Now."

"Yeah… "Don bent over his computer, wincing at the damage.  "Get out."

The ghost looked at them her dull grey eyes widening and widening… Mike felt his skin crawl… then her mouth opened and let out a shrill piercing scream.  Mike felt like his skull was going to split.  

The turtles put their hands over their ears, Splinter dashed into the room… he looked as startled as they'd ever seen him look.

"What has happened?"

Mike tried to shout above the shriek that was building louder and louder in their heads.  "They told her to leave, sensei… but I don't think she wants to go…."   


	7. Lost In Shadow Chapter 7

Lost In Shadow

Chapter 7

Leo looked about; he'd never been in a library before. He watched April do the talking, asking the librarian about old newspapers, and then watched the librarian walk away to another part of the building.

April approached Leo. "She says we should use the microfiche," she said. She's gone to find us the cards and film she thinks should be relevant."

"The microfiche..?"

"This." April indicated towards a machine that looked like an odd PC to Leo. "It's a machine that reads microfilm; you can get a ton of info just on one little card... Ask Don, he'll know all about them..."

"He's probably got one lying around somewhere in all that junk," Leo rolled his eyes... secretly deciding he wouldn't ask Don. Not unless he wanted to purposefully induce three long boring hours on himself...

"So what were you telling me before, about the computer?" April sat down.

Leo nodded. "Yeah, apparently the ghost just went and walked right through it and completely fried it, the lair still smells of burnt plastic. Don was fuming when I got back, and Raph wouldn't shut up about how cold it was and was totally paranoid she was gonna wreck the TV. Every time she went within three feet of it he started twitching. It drove us crazy. Neither of them would shut up all evening, they want me to get rid of her, and I'll try, but I want to do it in a nice way." Leo frowned as he thought. "They told her to get out and Mike said she totally flipped and screamed non stop for like three hours straight and even shattered a glass. He thinks she wants to stay with us."

"Maybe she does. Perhaps she's taken a shine to you guys." April smirked. "She must be lonely. What will you do when we get information about her?"

"See her family. They probably never found out what happened to her, I mean she's not at rest, so they never found her body. She said it herself, she said; 'there's nothing left'." Leo explained. "Oh yeah... and Don and Raph wanted me to ask you if you could get hold of a fire extinguisher for us. The powder type."

"...Right..." April nodded with a sigh, watching as the librarian sidled up to them, giving Leo a strange look. He was acutely aware of how strange he must look, sat swathed in a trench coat and fedora indoors on such a pleasant day.

"Do you know how to use the microfiche?" The librarian asked.

April nodded. "Yes, thanks."

"We do?" Leo whispered.

"Oh yeah, I use them for work all the time. Good for research. Some companies do great aperture cards and film. Some great National Security ones." April grinned. "The internet's good too, of course."

The librarian left them to it; April inserted the microfilm into the carrier. Leo winced. "... Looks complicated..."

"There's a knack," April smiled. "We've got 'till 11:00, after that I've really got to get to work, okay?"

Leo nodded, watching as April explained and demonstrated how to use the machine; it didn't seem too hard after all... with practice he'd be fine. They searched through newspaper after newspaper, article after article, and death records until April had to go. They'd found hundreds of missing girls, but only seventeen Susans, most of which were brunettes and the others too old or too young.

It took all day but eventually Leo found a short article in the New York Post. A missing girl called Suzie O'Connell, aged fourteen, vanished on the 7th December, 1975.

-----

Raph was taking his frustrations out on a training dummy, pummelling it with his fists and slashing at it with his sai until there wasn't much left. Splinter stood in the doorway.

"Raphael. I think it's time you had a rest."

Raph gave it one last smack and nodded. He grabbed a bag of pretzels from the kitchen and walked through into their living quarters, shooting a bewildered look at Mikey who sat on the floor rolling a basketball. He looked over at Don, who was concentrating on what remained of his computer, sorting out what was salvageable and what wasn't, Raph wandered over.

"What's he doing?"

"Huh?" Don looked up irritated; he'd had a foul mood on him all last night and all that day. Raph jerked his head at Mike.

"Oh. He's playing ball with the ghost." Don mumbled.

Raph gave a disbelieving shake of the head and glanced back over at Mike. "I thought its speciality was walking through things. How can it touch the ball?"

Don snorted and replied distractedly, "... molecules... psychic energy..." He paused to examine a piece of electronic junk, and threw it down in disgust. "Possibly electromagnetic fields... either way I really don't care. There's very little I can salvage from all this mess..." He threw the singed motherboard across the room in anger.

Raph frowned. "Chill dude. Jeez, when did you turn into me?"

"You don't own the exclusive rights to anger, Raphael..." Don scowled. "F off. I'm busy."

Raph felt his temper flare and was about to make something of it... but he knew how Donnie felt about his computer. He also remembered him building the first one all those years ago when they'd only been little kids.

Before they were officially allowed to go topside, they'd killed a lot of free time playing games on it... now, for the first time since then, Donnie was entirely computer-less. Raph found himself letting it slide. He raised his hands in surrender mode and walked away.

"Fine. Whatever."

Mike rolled the ball across the floor again, the ghost standing a few feet away, gently pushed at it with her toe and the ball rolled back towards Mike again, slowly picking up speed.

"Check it out, Raph." Mikey beamed. "She can move things."

"...too bad she can't move manhole covers and get the hell out..." Don's voice grumbled in the background.

Mike sighed and rolled the ball back. "I asked Don to work out how she does it, but he's too busy sulking..." Mike whispered. "Maybe when he gets used to her he'll be okay."

"Listen Mikey, Don's just lost... hang on..." Raph frowned at him. "Uh huh... and just how long are we planning on letting her stay for, bro?" He couldn't help the sarcasm creeping into his voice.

Mike blinked then laughed. "Raph, it's not like we have a choice. She's adopted us. She's here forever." He grabbed the pretzels from Raphael. "Sour cream and chive." He smacked his lips and rolled the ball back to the ghost.

"Suzie! See if you can kick it hard..."

Raph sat back on his heels, a chill creeping up his spine. "Forever?!" He shook his head. "Wait a minute... 'Suzie'?"

"Well she didn't respond too well to Susan, or Sue... besides, she looks like a Suzie, don't ya think?" Mike grinned. Raph had a strange urge to strangle him.

"Whatever. What do you mean 'forever'?"

"Do you want her to start screaming again? She only shattered a glass last time... who knows what'd happen if you make her do it again." Mike smirked "She might even get... the TV!"

"Very funny, I can't believe we're being held to ransom by a little girl."

"So you do accept she's a person." Mike munched on a pretzel

"She... its dead, Mikey, it doesn't belong here. Especially with us."

"Well, when Leo's done whatever he's doing, perhaps she'll go live with her family."

Raph rapped Mikey on the head.

"Hello? Do you really think they'll want that, to be haunted?"

"They might miss her and want her back." Mike suggested he ducked the ball as it flew past his head. "Whoa! Cool Suzie!! That was some kick."

The ghost stood, beaming. Raph shuddered. "Do you really think you should be encouraging it?"

"What?" Mikey shook his head. He threw the ball and watched as she 'caught' it, the ball levitating a couple of millimetres from her fingertips.

"Isn't that awesome?"

----

Leo stood waiting impatiently outside of Channel 3 News. He'd called April as soon as he'd found the ghost's name, and April had promised to search the records they had at the news station. Unfortunately she was working late, Leo wanted to go himself, but he knew he wouldn't get anywhere. No way would the girls family let in a creepy guy in a trench coat.

Eventually April emerged, looking slightly stressed; she jumped when she saw Leo.

"Oh... the ghost... Right. I found an address, here." She rummaged in her pocket. "Are we going to visit now?"

Leo nodded. "I thought I was going to have to wait all night..."

April shook her head. "I have to earn a living, Leo. I can't just drop work, I'd get fired. I don't have unlimited free time like you guys. The things I do for you. In forty five minutes time I could be in a warm bath, filled with essential oil, soaking away the days stress..."

Leo winced. "I'm sorry; I just want to get this done before my brothers kill me. I appreciate it. We appreciate it. Really. Everything you do."

"I know... "April flagged a cab. "My boss is just giving me a hard time, the usual..."

Leo followed April into the cab, pulled his hat over his eyes and stared out of the window. "East New York." April said to the cab driver. "Linden Houses." The driver mumbled something incomprehensible, gave Leo a hard stare, then drove off.

---

"Well here we are." April stared up at the block. "I don't think you should come in Leo. You'll be at too close range; their attention will be focused on you. They'll notice something odd."

"I dunno..." Leo stared up at the building uncertainly. "I don't like the look of it. It might not be safe."

April rolled her eyes. "Then imagine having to live there. I'll be fine." She pushed the address into Leo's hand. "If I'm not back in half an hour then follow me, but I'm sure everything'll be okay."

She pressed the number on the intercom system but there was no reply. April sighed and was about to key in a different apartment number when the door opened and someone came out. April grabbed the door and with a cheery "Thank you!" bustled inside.

The elevator stank as she rode it up to the sixth floor, but she took her mind of it by reading the graffiti.

April rang the bell and waited. There was no response, yet even through the walls and the door, she could hear that the TV was on in the lounge. Perhaps the bell didn't work. She knocked hard on the door. It was eventually answered by a tall woman, who looked to be in her late fifties though April wasn't entirely sure, with brassy bleach blonde hair. She gave the impression of trying to look younger than she actually was, wearing clothes that just didn't look quite right on her. She gave April a hard stare asking her what the hell she wanted with out her even having to move her lips.

"Hi." April beamed. "My name is April O'Neil. A journalist, I'm doing a report about some things that happened in the past... I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about a girl called Susan O'Connell."

The woman snorted. "Susan? I had a daughter called Susan. We called her Suzie. She went missing a long time ago. That what this is all about?" She sighed. "I suppose you can come in."

She led April into a small room furnished with a brown sofa, two matching chairs and a Formica coffee table with about six weeks worth of TV Guide and Soap Opera Digest strewn all over it.

"Sit down. " She pointed to one of the brown chairs. April sat and took out a note book smiling professionally.

"So what do you want to know?"

April took the bracelet from her bag and passed it over to Mrs O'Connell. "A friend of mine found this in the sewers."

The woman looked up puzzled.

"He's a... ah... maintenance worker." April explained. "Anyway... we found an old newspaper article and found that you had a daughter called Susan who went missing."

The woman nodded. "That's right... she had one like this, too. I got her it for her thirteenth birthday." She rubbed the silver between her fingers gazing at it a moment.

"Do you think this is hers?"

The woman shrugged. "Maybe."

"Do you know what happened to your daughter?"

Mrs O'Connell looked at April sharply. "Police already asked me all this years ago. I tell you what I told them. I don't know. She started to hang out with all them bad kids and started giving me lip..."

"What bad kids?"

"You know, nasty kids that lived around the neighbourhood. Suzie was obsessed with this one guy... thought she was in love with him... followed him everywhere... but he was just using her. I even tried locking her in her room but she wouldn't have it. Then one night she never came back. Police interviewed them but they said she wasn't with them that night."

"Do you remember any names?" April asked.

"Nah... Only the one she liked... Danny, I think... Soames? Sullivan.. yeah.. I think it was Sullivan."

"He still around?" April asked casually.

"In jail last I heard." Susan's mother snorted. "Best place for him... nasty... violent man."

"I see..." April looked down at her notes. "Well thank you. I appreciate your time." She pointed at the bracelet. "You can keep that if you want."

Mrs O'Connell looked like she might refuse for a moment then she nodded. "...Alright."

"Did you make sure she took the bracelet?" Leo asked.

April nodded. "She has it... you think Susan will leave you guys now?"

Leo bit his lip. "I hope so... if she doesn't Raph and Don might kill me."

April laughed. "I'm sure it's not that bad, Leo!"

He watched her walk back into her apartment and shook his head.


	8. Lost In Shadow Chapter 8

**Lost In Shadow**

Chapter 8

Leo returned home to see Mike chatting to the ghost as he made himself a sandwich in the kitchen.

"..Lots of ham, see? Mega chunks of cheese... our refrigerators on its last legs so... y'know... best before and all that. Mustard! Yeah... I'd put some salad in but we don't really have much... or any..."

The ghost appeared to be observing everything with great interest.

Leo leant on the counter. "Mikey... what are you doing?"

"Showing Suzie how to make the King of all sandwiches."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Okay... makes a change from pizza, I guess. Raph and Don around?"

"Yeah... Raph's in his room. Don's behind that pile of junk over there..." Mike lowered his voice. "Only don't call it junk, he hasn't come to terms with his loss yet."

"Okay." Leo looked at the ghost. Her mother had the bracelet... and yet she was still in the lair. Perhaps she didn't know.

"Susan..." Leo began.

She blanked him, still staring intently at Mike's culinary creation.

"She prefers Suzie now, Leo."

"...right... Suzie?"

Dull grey eyes switched from the sandwich to Leo. Leo felt a chill down his spine and felt incredibly uncomfortable. He really didn't like those eyes... at all.

"Listen Suzie, we gave the bracelet to your mom. That's what you wanted right? You can go to her now. Visit her before you move on." ...Or whatever it is that you do... Leo thought to himself.

The ghost gazed at him a moment, then her eyes clicked back to the sandwich. Leo felt a sudden weight drop from his chest to the pit of his stomach. From the corner of his eye he saw Don's head poke out from behind all the junk... then nip back again quickly.

"You can go now..." Leo repeated.

She didn't move, still ignoring him.

Leo looked at Mike helplessly.

"...don't you want to see your mom...?" Mike asked, Suzie looked at him then vanished.

"...Do you think she's gone?" Leo hardly dared breathe a sigh of relief. Mike shrugged his shoulders.

"I hope so." Don piped up in the background. "I can rebuild my pc without having to worry about it getting wrecked again."

"And it is much warmer." Splinter entered the room with a smile.

"I'm gonna let Raph know!" Don cried enthusiastically, dashing out of the room.

I'll miss her." Mike watched Don sprint into Raph's room.

"I'm sorry to say that I will not." Splinter shook his head. "Having you boys quarrelling has been difficult enough... not to mention the small explosions... but I was also finding it very difficult to meditate."

"Why sensei?" Leo asked curiously.

"I'm not sure, Leonardo. Perhaps she disrupts my meditation the same way she disrupted Donatello's computer."

"Yeah, all that negative energy coming from her had a pretty devastating effect." Don said cheerily. "Even worse than Raph's negative energy."

Raph gave Don a playful punch on the shoulder. "Hey watch it." He grinned.

"Good that we're all feeling better anyway..." Leo ventured.

"Yeah, "Raph smiled. "Just do us a favour, Leo. Don't go bringing any dead peoples stuff back here again."

"I won't, believe me." Leo breathed a sigh of relief that ended in a groan. The girl had reappeared at the far end of the room and was now staring hard at him. He could almost feel those eyes skinning him with a glare, leaving his raw flesh behind. Splinter noticed Leo's discomfort and followed his gaze.

"I see." He shook his head. "I think it is time I tried to solve this now, my son."

Don shivered at the drop in temperature and turned. He saw the ghost and cursed. "This is so not good."

"Oh £$$$£!" Raphael cursed even louder. "I don't believe it."

Splinter approached the ghost. "Susan... Suzie, you cannot stay here any longer. Your presence here is unnatural... you should not be here. It is time for you to move on."

Suzie walked past Splinter and stood facing Mike, her head cocked on one side.

"Hey Suzie!" Mike grinned.

He noticed the range of expressions on his brothers faces which ranged from furious to vengeful and decided to change tack.

"Suzie... you can't stay here..."

She smiled at Mike, and then pointed to her midriff at her t-shirt stained with blood. Mike swallowed and looked over at Leo.

Leo sighed. "She was hanging out with some guy called Danny Sullivan... but he's in jail. There's nothing we can do. We can't get to him there... besides..." Leo paused. "We're not her tools for vengeance."

"There ya go." Raph said. "He's in jail. You go visit them all and when you find him you can strangle him psychically... or blow his radio up... or something. Go on... see ya... bye."

Suzie shrugged her shoulders and walked back into the kitchen, back to Mikey's forgotten sandwich.

They sat on the sofa with their heads in their hands listening to Mikey prattle away to the ghost.

"What do you think?" Don sighed. "We're going to have to talk to this Sullivan guy, aren't we?"

"How..?" Leo frowned. "With all the security it'll be difficult... not impossible... but difficult."

Raph looked thoughtful. "Maybe Casey could get in as a visitor?"

"You don't think he'll mess up?" Don said hesitantly.

Raph glared.

"Maybe April could go with him... keep him on track..?" Leo suggested.

Don nodded.

"I'll go see Casey." Raph said... "First we'd better make sure this Sullivan is the guy that was with her when she died. Hey kid! Come here."

The ghost blanked him.

"Alright... Suzie."

She didn't move.

"Suzie?" Leo tried. She looked over and stood... moving toward them, her toes just skimming the floor.

"We're going to talk to this Danny Sullivan guy." Leo explained. "Our friend Casey should be able to get in to see him. Was... was it him that... stabbed you..?"

She nodded her grey eyes never leaving his face, he felt uncomfortable her stare was so intense.

"Did...? Was it him that pushed you in?"

She nodded again.

"Suzie..." Don began. She didn't look at him... still staring at Leonardo. "Uh... hello?"

He muttered something under his breath. "Leo... ask her what it is she actually wants us to do...?"

"...good point... Suzie... what do you want us to do?"

She smiled and pointed at the door.

"You get the idea she wants rid of us..?" Raph scowled as they splashed through the sewer water.

"It, Raph..." Don corrected... "She's an 'it'."

"Y' think?" Leo looked at Raph. "Maybe we shouldn't be leaving Mike and Splinter..."

Raph shrugged... "We'll try this Sullivan guy... Then we're gonna have to get tough with her... it... whatever."

"Tough... "Don snorted. "Last time we got tough with her she almost brought the place down."

"Yeah... we don't want her screaming like that again..." Raph looked disturbed for a moment.

They came to a junction in the sewers. "I'm going to head to April's and ask her if she'll help us out," Don said. "I need to use her computer anyway."

Leo nodded. "Right, we'll get Casey and meet you at April's."

"I don't understand..." April looked tired. "What do you expect to get out of this? They guy is in prison... he's serving a sentence for something... maybe even murder. He's being punished."

"I don't know..." Leo rubbed his brow. It was getting so hard to think. "She wants us to do this... maybe it's the only way for her to go. Just talk to the guy. Ask him if he murdered her... maybe all we need is a confession."

Casey shook his head. "... No way will he confess to that, Leo.... We can't even ask that. There's going to be guards with us... phone lines will be tapped... security is high... There's no privacy in jail. If we make them suspicious they might turn on us... y'know..?"

"We'll just start by mentioning her name... asking if they were friends." April sighed. "He might let something slip. It is worth a try." She smiled at Leo. "Don't worry, okay?"

Leo nodded.

"Okay Casey, we're going to need to fake a drivers license or passport, any form of id... do you have a state id card?" April fumbled in her purse. "Already on it." Casey grinned. "I have my contacts. We should have them in time for visiting hours tomorrow"

"I hacked into their system and put you down as family member in their database. You're a cousin." Don bit his lip and gave April an apologetic look. "April, you're Casey's wife."

April blinked. "What?! I don't believe this!" She shook her head. "Let's get it over with. I'll call you guys' tomorrow evening, okay? Unless..." She muttered under her breath. "...we end up in jail for this ourselves..."

Leo wasn't the only one who was a little jittery the next day. Donatello was beginning to rebuild his computer... but he kept breaking off and gazing at nothing in a thoughtful way. Raphael was beating the crap out of every training dummy they had... Leonardo tried to concentrate on training but kept thinking about whether April or Casey would get caught or wondering what the Sullivan guy would say. Splinter alternated between meditation and speaking to his sons, he also seemed a little out of it. Only Michelangelo appeared happy, he was showing Suzie photographs.

"We couldn't take photograph before," Mikey was explaining. "Because we couldn't get them developed... y'know... loads of photos of mutant turtles... it's not very secret. But April got us a digital camera last Christmas and it's been so cool. Donnie showed us how to use it... its really easy and now we can take photos." He grinned. "Too bad there aren't any of us when we were kids. They'd be cool."

He pointed at some pictures. "This is us last Christmas when we first got it. I took one of Raph in the bathroom... but he deleted it so I can't show you. It was funny though, except Splinter made me do fifty flips." Mikey looked thoughtful a moment. "So I guess it wasn't that funny..."

"When Don's computer's up and running again I'll show you how to use it, only you'd better stand clear in case you break it." Mike looked at her. "Would you show up in a photo?"  
Suzie shrugged her shoulders and glanced across the room at Donatello and his computer. Don and Suzie glared at each other a moment... then they looked away.

"We can try, anyway." Mike grinned. "We'll need to do it before you go though, right?" Mikey started to pack the photos away.

"When my computer's back in action, that... thing is not going anywhere near it." Don glowered.

Mike looked at Suzie... "You won't break it again, will you?" Suzie smiled and shook her head.

Mike grinned at Don. "See!" He stood and went over to put the photographs away. The ghost looked over at Don and gave a slow nod, then gave a nasty smirk. Don went cold inside... he swallowed and looked over at Leo who was gazing distractedly at a crack in the sewer wall and hadn't noticed a thing. Splinter was in deep meditation... or would have been had he been able to. Instead his whiskers twitched with irritation as he tried to clear his mind. Don looked at Raph who stood staring at him his arms hung limply at his sides as the bag he'd been pummelling swung slowly and then stopped. He looked from Don to the ghost then back at Don again with a wtf expression.

Don was about to sign to Raph to keep it quiet when he blew up.

Raphael swore loudly, causing Splinter to jump and stare at Raph with a stern expression.

"Did you see that!!? Leo, that thing is totally out to get Don!" He pointed an accusing finger at the ghost who sat with an innocently blank look on her face. Mikey turned, his expression matching Suzie's.

"What?" He looked at Suzie... she gave him a puzzled look.

"She nodded at me..." Don sighed. He'd been hoping to have a quiet word with Mikey... something less accusing... but he couldn't blame Raph's annoyance, he was pretty mad himself. "After you said she wouldn't damage my computer... she shook her head at you, but nodded at me."

Mikey looked at Suzie. "Really?"

Suzie nodded and looked sad. She pointed at Don sadly. "He's mean."

Don's jaw dropped.

Mikey laughed. "Donnie's not mean Suzie! He's a really nice guy. Honestly when you get to know each other you'll realise how nice each other is. Even Raph!" Mikey nudged Raph. "I think you just need to get used to each other." He went into the kitchen; Suzie followed drifting past Don and Raph with a mocking expression.

Don looked at Raph... "We're in trouble..." he began.

Raphael looked ready to kill someone.

"...cool it Raph. We need to talk to Leo and Splinter. Don't start anything yet. We already know what she's capable of."

Raph gritted his teeth. "Don... I think we've just sent Casey and April on a wild goose chase. They're not going to learn anything are they?"


	9. Lost In Shadow Chapter 9

**Lost In Shadow**

Chapter 9

Don picked up the phone almost as soon as it rang. He glanced over at the ghost... she looked busy playing cards with Mike.

"Hello."

"Don... its April... can you guys come over?"

"Sure... how did it go? Did it go okay? Are you okay? Did you get to speak to him...?"

"Okay. Yes. Yes. And yes..." April interrupted him. "Listen Don. I don't really want to speak over the phone. Can you come over?"

"All of us?"

"Yes."

"Okay. See you soon." Don put the phone down. Splinter, Leonardo and Raphael were all staring at him. He shrugged at them.

"Let's go see April."

"What did she say?" Raph murmured.

"She wouldn't talk over the phone. She wants us to go see her." Don grabbed a coat. Leo pulled one on and looked over at Mike.

"Mikey! We're going to see April...."

Mike grinned. "Okay. See ya later."

"... doh..." Leo rubbed his forehead. "Come with us Mike! She hasn't seen you in ages!"

"Hmm? Okay." He stood up, and then turned back to Suzie. They could see him speaking to her.

"Nah, I'll pass. You know... this might be the last chance I get to hang out with Suzie before she leaves. You guys go, I can always see April another day."

Splinter frowned. "Michelangelo, I insist that..."

A sudden force pushed them all out the door. They found themselves sitting in a heap outside the entrance to the lair as the door banged shut.

Raph scrambled out from under Splinter, and then helped him up. "That's it. I've had it." He pushed at the door intending to storm back in, but it wouldn't budge. He kicked the door in anger.

"We had better see what April and Casey found out..." Splinter looked at the door of the lair anxiously.

"Mike'll be alright, sensei..." Leo said. "Suzie likes him... she won't hurt him."

"It'd better not..." Raph punched the palm of his hand.

"Let's go..." Don stared at the door with a worried expression for a moment, and then turned towards April's.

April and Casey refused to speak until they'd made them all a very strong coffee each and sat them down.

"Where's Mikey?" April asked suddenly.

"He won't come." Raph said abruptly. "Are you going to tell us what happened, or just give us caffeine poisoning?"

"Did it go okay?" Leo asked.

"It went fine." Casey beamed.

April gave him a black look. "It was nerve wracking..."

"We got in okay... they thought we were family. No problem there. Even Sullivan didn't give us away... though he was pretty confused that we were there." Casey said. "We asked if he knew Susan and he kind of... went pale..."

"... He blanched!" April's eyes widened. "At first we thought it was because he'd killed her and he thought we knew... but it turns out Susan was a horrible kid, manipulative, selfish, vindictive.... and completely obsessed with him. She wouldn't leave him alone no matter what he did. She had a knife and threatened to kill Sullivan's girlfriend... Susan got stabbed in the struggle and was going to blame it on the two of them... accuse them of trying to kill her. Danny pushed her into the sewers to try to scare her into changing her mind... but when they went to let her out she'd gone. They assumed she'd gotten out and was too humiliated to show her face again. He doesn't know she bled to death down there. He thinks she's alive. He thought we were friends of hers and that she'd put us up to seeing him, just to upset him and his wife. He married the girl Susan tried to kill."

Leo was stunned. "Are you sure he didn't make it all up to cover himself...? I mean... this all happened nearly thirty years ago... a grown man in his forties still scared by the memory of a teenager?"

Casey shook his head. "He was completely on the level, Leo... whatever they went through with her back then was enough to scare the crap out of them... and he's not a murderer... he's in there for petty theft."

April nodded. "Casey and I have gone through it over and over; we're convinced he's telling the truth."

Leo shook his head. "Oh no... and I invited Susan into our home... She's... evil and it's entirely my fault."

"I don't know if she's evil, Leo..." April frowned. "She sounds like a real nasty little bitch. But I don't know if evil is the right word."

"She's out to cause trouble at home..." Don said. "She was going to destroy my computer again when I rebuilt it... But she's all nice with Mikey... and Leo at the moment..."

"But she's hates me and Don..."Raph said, darkly. "Not that we ever liked her to begin with."

"Why?" Splinter asked. "Michelangelo and Leonardo seemed quite taken with her at first."

"The part of the sewers she haunted..."Don said thoughtfully. "It was horrible. It had a real nasty atmosphere, really nasty and creepy. I didn't like her the moment I set eyes on her... especially that night Leo and I found the bracelet."

"Yeah... and it stunk... worse than the rest of the sewers... really foul... it was disgusting." Raph pulled a face. "And I can always smell it on her."

Don nodded... "Yeah, I can too." He wrinkled his nose.

Leo raised his eyebrows. "I never noticed that."

"Yeah well, you were too intent on poking your nose in..." Don began, and then paused. "Sorry Leo."

"To be honest..." Splinter began. "I did not like her either. The bracelet and the smell which accompanied it made me feel extremely uneasy."

April sighed. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm worried about Mike..." Leo said. He looked at April. "Suzie's really taken to Mikey... he likes her too... they're hanging out all the time. She practically threw us out when we tried to get Mike to come with us."

"What do you mean, Leo?!" Raph exclaimed. "She did throw us out. We couldn't get back in."

April looked startled. "She threw you out?"

Don nodded. "Telekinesis... or something."

"Yeah... we'd better go back... make sure Mike's okay." Leo said. He was beginning to get very anxious thinking about Michelangelo.

Splinter hesitated before he pushed at the door. It swung open without any problem and they entered their home cautiously. It was dark and eerily quiet... The only light came from the TV... pictures flicked across the screen, though no sound came from it. The walls appeared to move as the broken light from the TV danced across them creating pools of moving shadow. Leo felt clammy, and a sweat broke out on his forehead.

"...Mikey?"

He glanced at Splinter, whose ears flicked listening for a response.

"Mike, are you okay?" Leo struggled to keep his voice steady, he felt sick with worry. Glancing at his brothers and Splinter he knew they felt the same.

Don looked at Leo, and then he reached for the light switch, his hand shaking as he did so. Raphael swallowed past a lump in his throat.

"Mike! Where are you?"

Mike's head appeared over the back of the sofa.

"Hi guys!!" He grinned broadly. "You weren't gone for long."

Leo breathed out... a sigh of relief... only just realising he'd been holding his breath.

"Mikey... give a guy a heart attack." Raph went over and sat on the sofa with him. "What? Did you fall asleep?"

Mike nodded munching on some peanuts. "It was a bad movie. How did April and Casey get on?"

"Good... Sullivan was very co-operative..." Raph looked hard at Mike. "Where's Suzie?"

Mike shrugged. "I told her off for throwing you guys out." He frowned. "I can't believe she did that to Master Splinter... So anyway... either she's sulking...or I'm sulking. I don't remember." He beamed at Raph.

"Listen Mike... there's something we need to..." Leonardo paused. The skin prickled at the back of his neck... he could swear he even felt a breath. He was suddenly very cold... and now there was the smell... the evil, rank smell he'd smelt all those days ago in the sewers when he'd dug out the bracelet. He'd never felt so sick, he felt it invading his pores and had to force himself to turn. The ghost stared at him, her pale grey eyes boring right through his own. He felt himself flinch but Mikey's voice brought him back down to earth.

"Suzie, you said you'd apologise. Apologise to my brothers and Splinter."

She smiled at them and nodded. "Sorry."

Leo balked at her obvious insincerity. All of a sudden she seemed much more grotesque than before. She wasn't a cute fourteen year old blonde... she was a vindictive, sour faced dead girl, and looking at Raph and Don he knew they couldn't see any difference. It was what they'd always seen. His head suddenly felt clearer, the mugginess in it was gone.

"There ya go!" Mike grinned. "She's sorry. Problem sorted." He picked up the remote and flicked the channel over.

Leo sat down beside him. "Mike, this Danny Sullivan... he didn't murder Suzie... not intentionally."

Mike gazed at the TV. "I know. Suzie told me before you all got back. She hated his girlfriend and tried to kill her in a murderous rage so she could have him. She was stabbed accidentally in the process and was going to blame them for trying to kill her." He munched on more peanuts still gazing at the TV. "She says she's sorry though... so everything's okay."

Leo glanced at the others... this wasn't good...

"Mike... are you feeling okay?"

"Mmm." He smiled and nodded.

"You're not disturbed that she tried to kill someone?"

Mikey looked puzzled a moment. .."I don't think so... I mean I was... but I'm not now." He grinned again.

"Mike stop grinning like that... you're freaking me out..." Don edged around Raph and gave Mike a worried stare.

"Sorry!" Mike said cheerily.

Leo turned back to Suzie. "I think you should leave. Now." He snarled.

She shook her head and spread out her arms. "Home." She smiled.

"Our home!!" Raph shouted.

She shook her head. "Ours." She pointed from herself to Mike.

They felt the force again, only much stronger this time, start to push them from the room once more.

"Oh no you don't!!" Raph lunged for the sofa, but missed and they found themselves sitting outside the door in the sewer water again.

Splinter leant his chin on his hand and tapped his nose impatiently. "We need a plan."

Raph leapt up and pushed at the door, then tried kicking it, punching it... and finally hit his head on it. "What's it done to Mike?!"

"He's gone all... dozy..." Don hugged his knees, not bothering to get out of the sewer water. He frowned, a million thoughts going through his mind at once. "It's also more powerful..." He looked at Splinter. "Sensei... you don't think she's feeding off Mike?!"

Raph yelled and kicked the door again.

Splinter gave Donatello a troubled look.

"She made me go ...'dozy'," Leo frowned. "It was hard to think... I did stupid things... like I walked through the streets in daylight without a disguise when I went to see April. Now I think about it... I felt kind of drained... I couldn't stop thinking about Suzie... I was obsessed with wanting to help her."

"How did you get out of it?" Donatello asked, standing up.

"When I knew her history... and realised she wasn't the helpless victim I thought she was..." Leo's brow furrowed. "Then when I saw her in there just now, she was just like you guys said... and she stunk..." He looked sick. "She was pretty gross."

"At last!" Raph nodded.

"All that time I thought you guys were being... well kind of... unfair. But I guess you were actually pretty patient with me and Mike."

Don glared at the door. "Perhaps we shouldn't have been..."

"But Michelangelo knows her history now, she has told him and he hasn't been shaken out of it." Splinter murmured.

Leonardo tried the door again and it swung open, they exchanged looks.

"Here we go again..."


	10. Lost In Shadow Chapter 10

**Lost In Shadow **

Chapter 10

Leonardo carefully pushed the door to their home open. Everything was quiet once more. He had to make sure they didn't upset the ghost again so they had a chance to speak to Mike.

Michelangelo was still sitting on the sofa... gazing at the TV... Leonardo frowned... it was a show Mike didn't even like... The number of times Mikey complained about that show... why was he watching it?

"Mike."

Michelangelo turned. "Hi Leo, listen... don't upset her... she's part of the family now."

"Mike, she doesn't belong here... not with us." Leo began.

"She does. She really appreciates everything you've done for her... trying to find out how she was murdered and trying to put her at rest... but the thing is... she's happy here with us." He smiled. "With me... y'know... she said if I were human she be totally in love with me." Mikey grinned.

Leo felt his stomach churn... and looked over at the ghost. She sat a few feet away from Mike on a bean bag and smiled at Leo.

"We love each other, "Mike said. "And we need each other... Don't make me choose."

"Mike you don't have to choose," Leo shook his head. "You know how much we care about you..." He glanced hatefully at Suzie, but knew he had to be subtle. "And I'm sure ...Suzie... cares about you just as much... We need to compromise... Suzie can't just kick us out because we disagree on some things. I mean imagine Raph or me kicking the other one out every time we had a disagreement! We'd never see each other."

Mike smiled. "I guess not." He looked at Suzie. "See... families have disagreements you don't have to keep kicking my brothers out."

Suzie nodded and gave Leo a derisive look.

"Excellent." Splinter walked lightly over to the sofa and sat down beside Michelangelo. "Well then my sons... Life is back to normal then, eh?"

Leo, Don and Raph followed Splinter's cue and they all sat on the sofa with Mike.

"So... what are we watching?" Raph asked Mike... latching onto the fact that Mikey hated the show.

"I dunno... just... stuff." Mike shrugged.

"You don't care what you're watching?" Don asked.

"No... I'm pretty happy just sitting here watching the picture."

"You know..." Donatello leant back. "April was asking after you... wondering how you were getting on..."

"Yeah... Casey too," Raph added. "You should go visit them... they're starting to think you're some kind of recluse, Mikey."

Mike smiled... "I will. Soon."

"We could go now..." Raph suggested... "Then we can come straight back." He stood up... the ghost had appeared to his side glaring spitefully at him.

"You don't mind... do you, Suzie?" Raph pulled Mikey up.

Mike went limp... he looked down at his legs... they felt like rubber... they also kind of looked like rubber... He began to giggle with agitation. Raph could barely hold up Mike's dead weight so Don grabbed Mikey's other side and supported him between the two of them.

"We'll be back." Raph scowled.

Suzie shook her head.

"We will return." Splinter said. "I promise."

Suzie shook her head again and made a quick and violent gesture with her arm. The room went pitch black... there was also an odd creaking noise as thought something in the room was waking... or Splinter thought with horror... the room itself was waking...

Raph and Don felt as though they'd been hit by some kind of large motor vehicle right in the centre of their shells, the force was so strong. Both refused to let go of Mike as they fell to the ground, though they were equally convinced that their shells had shattered and broken... they gripped Mike tighter... through the pain that spread across their backs... up and down their spinal cords... across their ribs... until they had to yell to release some of the strain.

Don realised this wasn't going to stop... and that they'd have to crawl, inch by agonising inch dragging Mike with them to the doorway. He felt Raph jerk and knew he had the same idea... he tried to pull himself along the floor but another shockwave of pain burst along his arms, he screwed up his eyes and groaned... Raph's shout of pain beside him illustrated that the same thing was happening to Raph.

Leo heard his brothers' cries and was convinced she was killing them. He attacked but, of course, fell straight through her. "Let them go you bitch!!" He wished there was some way he could really hurt her, kill her... his anger was so great. Susan's searing scream drowned out Raph and Don's tortured cries... Leo grasped his head in pain and stumbled to his knees... his skull felt as though it would split into bloody pieces.

"Release him" they all heard her voice in their heads "release him or I will kill you all."

Don was sick with pain... and Raph felt himself loosing consciousness but both clung to Mikey even tighter through gritted teeth.

Splinter was now afraid for the lives of all his sons, not just Michelangelo's. Though his head was on fire... and he was blinded by sheer agony he reached over Raphael's tense body and tried to loosen his grip on Mike... it was a struggle... Raph didn't seem to want to cooperate... but Splinter finally managed it. Then he crawled over and repeated the process with Don.

The screaming ceased and their pain lessened. Raph and Don reached tentatively behind their backs checking their shells were still intact. Leo looked up exhausted... peering through the darkness.

"Are you guys okay...?" He was dreading the answer.

"I think..." Don got shakily to his feet.

Raph only grunted, but Leo heard him stand.

..."Mike..?"

No reply...

Splinter leant over him. "He is unconscious... but fine..."

"...get away from him..." The invisible force threw them across the room again; they smashed against the door and lay groaning for a second. Leo struggled to his feet but the same force held him back. They'd had their chance and failed. The door slowly creaked open behind them and again they were flung into sewage.

Don stood up, coughing. "Master... Leo... What are we going to do?"

Splinters eyes narrowed. "We will find a way."

Raph kicked and punched at the door, boiling with rage. "That bitch is gonna be glad that she's dead...!" He punched at the door until exhaustion took him over and he slumped down... his back against the doorframe.

They looked at each other each hoping for a plan, waiting for the door to open again.


	11. Lost In Shadow Epilogue

**Lost In Shadow**

Epilogue

We all keep going back to see Mikey. We see a lot of him everyday... but there are times I would swear he doesn't even recognise us and just keeps prattling away because he's scared that he doesn't recognise us... as though he knows he should. It must be hard for him... she makes your head go all fuzzy as though it's stuffed with Styrofoam balls... all moving about through your brain and nerve endings. It's so hard to concentrate... I bet it's even worse for Mike... he's spent so much time with her. Why didn't I see it straight away and put a stop to it...?

At first, we were all sleeping outside the door to our old home... waiting for a chance to get in... But it was impossible. She won't let Raph or Don in... She only lets me in when the mood takes her and only lets sensei in because she doesn't want to jar some sense back into Mike... she knows that would shake him. I'm hoping she will make a mistake and try to hurt one of us in front of Mike... I know Mikey would snap out of it then... but she's too clever and won't fall for our tricks. No matter how I provoke her... she just smiles at me, knowing what I'm trying to do. If only she would let Raphael in... I know he'd find a way to piss her off.

Raph and Don have to speak to Mike from the doorway... they say there's a kind of force that won't let them go any further. When April and Casey come down it's the same for them too. Don finds it interesting that the ghost's power doesn't 'extend past the doorway'... but I don't know if he's got an idea or whether it's just an observation, I'll have to ask him when I get back.

Our home has changed so much... the place is rank... filled with the stench from that old part of the sewers we found her in... The walls move... even when there's no light or shadow to cause it. It is almost as though she and the room are becoming one. She moves things around in there... Large objects... she can manipulate them... Once when I went to see Mike she rusted one of Don's machines right in front of my eyes... it corroded bit by bit turning from silver to orange... to a blood red... then disintegrated into dust. We're afraid she's growing too strong in there but we don't know why...

There are so few options left open to us... we are past fear... Splinter keeps trying to communicate with Mike through the astral plane... trying to contact Mikey telepathically... so far it isn't going very well... though Splinter won't say why. I wonder if she has grown strong enough to prevent sensei communicating to Mike that way... I am hoping... we are all hoping that Splinter's will; will prove stronger than hers.

April is making friends with the local priest in the hope she can learn about exorcism... perhaps then we can get rid of the ghost for good... and even get our old place back... not that I'm sure we'd want it back after all this.

I keep thinking this is all my fault. My fault I wanted to help Susan... my fault I brought the bracelet back... Donatello tried to put some of the blame onto his shoulders by reminding me he was there with me when we got the bracelet... and that we brought it back together... but I don't accept that. I think I was under her spell by that point... Don was reluctant to help her and reluctant to get involved but I made him... It's my entire fault, I know it is... but I'm not going to let that work in her favour. This guilt will fuel me, not hold me back... I will find a way to get Mikey out of this and a way to destroy her forever.

I think deep down Mikey knows something isn't right... like I did... I just hope he can snap out of it like I did... It all became crystal clear for me. We will find a way for it to all become suddenly clear for Mikey too... but right now he's lost to us... lost in shadow and we need to find him.


End file.
